Partition block



y 1943- c. L. SANFORD 2,318,889

PARTITION BLOCK Filed Nov. 26, 1940 v mix/@5114 mfwdf ATTORNEYS Patented May 11, 1943 U N l t E D STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

My invention relates to new and useful immovements in partition blocks.

An important object of my invention is the provision of a block made of anysuitable porous material having heat and cold insulating qualities and of sufilcient strength to permit use of the same as units in a wall, the block being particularly adapted to be used as a partition wall.

In: residences, as well as other types of buildings, partitions are usually made up of studding, lath and. plaster, and it is impossible to nail securely into any part thereof except where the studding are located. Such partitions are merely shells, and frequentlythe faces of such walls are greatly damaged by endeavoring' to locate the studding for driving nails or screws. made up of my building units not only permit nailing into any part thereof, but they form a solid partition which resists sound passage and, by reason of the porosity of the aggregate. used in making my units, they may also be easily cut away orcut into, as desired, with ordinary tools. This unique characteristic of the blocks permits facile and expeditious insertion of outlet boxes, conduit, gas and water pipes,- etc.

Other objects ancl advantages ofmy invention will be apparent. during the course of the following: description.

In the. drawing, forming a part of this specification, and wherein like numerals, are employed to. designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure l is a perspective view of a partition block embodying my invention,

Figure. 2 isatop plan view of the same,

Figure. 3 is a bottom plan View thereof,

Figure 4 is an end elevation looking in the direction of the arrows.44 in Figure 3,

Figure 5 is an end elevation looking in the direction of the arrows 5-5 in Figure 3,

Figure 6 is a. vertical sectional view illustrating two:of the building unitsplaced one upon another and. joined by a suitable. bonding material.

.Figure'l is. a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view illustrating the units as they appear in apartition wall, and:

Figure-8 is a vertical sectional view of a modified form of my partition block.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration, is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral l0 designates a partition block embodying my invention; As'hereinabove. set. forth, the block is preformed of a suitable aggregate of essentially porous character, the inherent characteristics of Partitions the aggregate permitting plaster or the like to be efiicaciously applied to two surfaces thereof when the blocks or units are suitably placed and joined; to form a wall. The-block is preferably formed with essentially rectangular sides [1- and [2, ends [3 and Hand top and bottom l5 and I6.

The top ii of the block isformed withamedially located channel H- preferably of essentially semi-circular formation in transverse sec-- tion. The side edgesof the channel are spaced substantially from thesides- 0f the-unit and the ends of the channel open through the opposite ends l3 and I4 of the block. The bottom [-6 of the block is similarly formed with amedially located channel l8 which extends through the opposite-ends l3 and M of the block. The longitudinal edgesof this channel are also'spaced' sub-- stantiall-y from the sides of the block and I pre-' fer that the channel Hi be of slightly lesser width than the channel IT. The channel I8- ischarac terized: by the fact that it is longitudinally bisected by an eXtending-rib l9;

When similar units are placed one upon another the bottom it of the upper unitwill rest uponthe top 15 of the lower unit in the manner illustrated i-n Figure 6-. terial 20 is first placed in the channel l1, placingof. the: upper unit-thereon will spread and disperse the bonding material to all portion-sof the registering channels I 1 and- I 8. The fact that the channel 18 is of alesser width than thechannel ILwill aid' in' compressing the bonding material and inv forcing it to rise upwardly at each side of the-tongue. I9 It is animportantfeature of this invention that the confronting surfaces of-- the blocks extending laterally of the channels will meet; in intimate. contacting relation, there being no, part of thebon'd ing material Ell therebetween. After the bonding material has hardened or set, it willieflicaciouslyi hold the blocks in fixed. association with the other" and the inherently porous: nature of the blockswill permit an eificient union to be made between: the blocks and the bonding material. The manner in which thecon front'ing. portions: of the blocks extending laterally of the channels meet in intimate abuttingrelation, will permita nail or screw to be driven into theb'locks at tl-ie meeting edges thereof. Thenail. or screw maybe driven a substantial distance into the unitsbefore-contacting the bonding material and the material is located a sumcient distance: from the outer surfaces of the blockstot bend nail of sufficient length to con-- tact therewith.

The end I3 of the block is formed with a medi- If a suitable bonding maally located vertically extending tongue 2|. The opposite ends of the tongue terminate a substantial distance from the top and bottom of the block and the opposite sides thereof are disposed substantially inwardly from the sides of the block. The side and end walls of the tongue preferably converge outwardly in the manner best illustrated in Figure 1. The end I4 of the block is formed with a medially located vertically extending groove 22. The bottom end of the groove 22 terminates a substantial distance from the bottom of the block and the upper end thereof extends through the top of the block and through the adjacent end of the channel H. The longitudinal edges of the groove are preferably spaced a substantial distance from the sides of the block, the side walls of th groove being inwardly convergent and spaced apart a distance requisite to snugly accommodate the side walls of the tongue 2| of an adjacent block.

As best illustrated in Figure 7, placing of two of the blocks in end to end relation and placing of a quantity of the bonding material 20 in the channel 11, will permit a portion of the bonding material to also fiow into the portion of the groove 22 extending above the tongue 2|.

In laying up my units in a partition the first course of units is laid upon a wall or floor and secured thereto by small angle irons, which angle irons hold the units securely in place and in e proper alignment. The end tongues 2| fit snugly into the end grooves 22, there being no bonding material used between the tongue and groove except for the mentioned portion of the bonding material flowing into the portion of the groove :3

extending above the tongue. A small angle iron is then nailed into the channel I! at the outside end of each end unit of the course, which angle irons are nailed to the Walls or door frames between which the partition is being built to firmly secure the partition in position. Bonding material is next placed in the channel l! of the course thus laid and a second course of units is laid upon the first course, the tongue I9 being embedded in the mortar 20. The units are laid so as to break joints, one course with another in the conventional manner. Angle irons are again nailed into the end units and to the abutting walls or frames as before stated, and the process is continued for laying up the partition.

In a partition Wall constructed of the above described blocks, there are no mortar joints to cut, and no mortar joints are exposed or in the way of nails or screws driven into the wall. Hard mortar at the face of the wall would not admit of driving nails or screws therethrough; however, where the mortar is placed in the manner above described, a long nail or screw will deflect when striking the hard mortar. The partition, as soon as laid up, is ready for a coat of plaster and tests have shown that it is almost impossible to remove the plaster from the face of the units, their granular and porous nature being ideal for bonding with the plaster.

. In Figure 8, I have illustrated a partition block 23 of slightly modified form over the form hereinabove described. The partition block 23 differs from the block In in that the side I2 is provided with a centrally located recess 24. The recess will materially lighten the block and will provide a peripheral shoulder 25. A block constructed in this manner is particularly adapted to be used in a wall comprising the inside section scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A partition block comprising a rectangular body of. elongated formation, the top edge of the body having a channel formed therein extending the full length thereof and having an arcuate concave configuration in cross section with the sides terminating inwardly at the side edges of the body to form horizontal top edge faces at each side of the channel, the bottom edge of the body having a longitudinally extending channel transversely bisected by a ridge and edge faces of greater width than the edge faces of the top, the said ridge having a diminishing outward taper with its outer edge portion non-projectant with relation to the plane of the said edge faces, whereby when the said bottom edge of the block is in partition forming assembly on the top edge of a similar block the said blocks may be firmly joined by jointing material filling the channel recesses formed between the said edges and the relatively wide side edge faces of the upper block in direct contact with the narrower side edge faces at the top edge of the lower block, one end edge of the block having a longitudinally directed groove.

formed therein extending from the top edge to a point short of the bottom edge and having inwardly convergent beveled side and end faces, the upper end of the said end groove being in registry with the top channel to provide for interlocking through the medium of jointing material, and a tongue formed on and projecting from the opposite end edge of the block, the said tongue extending longitudinally of the said end edge and being of flat elongated cross section with its ends terminating short of the top and bottom edges of the block with beveled side and end faces and adapted for slidable fitting into a groove corresponding to that in the opposite end edge of the block.

2. A partition block comprising a rectangular body having a channel extending longitudinally for the full length thereof in the top edge, .the sides of the said channel terminating inwardly of the side faces of the body to provide horizontal top edge faces at each side of the channel, the bottom edge of the body having a longitudinally directed channel and edge faces at each side thereof, one end edge of the block having a longitudinally directed groove extending from and in registry with the top channel to a point adjacent to and short of the bottom edge, to provide for interlocking engagement with a similar block through the medium of jointing material, and a tongue formed on and projecting from the opposite end edge of the block, the said tongue being disposed longitudinally of the said end edge and adapted for projection into the end groove in a similar block, and the said tongue terminating l short of the top of the groove to leave room for l the jointing material.

CHARLES L. SANFORD. 

